Letter: Ruling puts municipalities in charge of fracking

Jul. 3, 2014

The validation of municipal fracking bans by New York’s highest court may be the “shot heard ‘round the world” when we look back on the inevitable death of the fossil fuel industry. The grassroots movement in New York has proved that we can say no to industrial practices that would destroy our communities.

But let’s hope we all learn from the process that culminated in this happy outcome. For example, consider the curious response of the pro-fracking group in Dryden voicing their dismay at the decision: “Dryden and other New York towns will lose out on jobs from the natural gas industry ...” This group and their national manifestations continue to miss a critical point: Jobs that poison the community are not worth seeking. If we shut down an international drug cartel, would we bemoan the loss of the jobs from the that enterprise? Some jobs are best left unfilled.

The Dryden pro-frackers also said, “To think that somehow we can replace natural gas, I don’t know how we get there ... ?” Huh? How about looking up at the sky and seeing the sun and the innumerable jobs — the sustainable kind — that would be created by the inevitable switch from deadly fuels to inexhaustible ones like solar power?